Failure of a key International Maritime Organization meeting to act on black carbon emissions from shipping in the Arctic has led to calls for individual nations to develop measures that can be addressed again in 2024.
The Clean Arctic Alliance denounced last week’s IMO Pollution Prevention & Response Committee’s failure to progress compulsory measures to reduce black carbon emissions, which the alliance says the IMO has recognised is the second-largest source of ship climate warming.
Black carbon is considered to be responsible for about 20% of shipping’s climate impact on a 20-year basis, as it has a disproportionately high impact when released in and near the Arctic, accelerating the melting of ice as it reduces reflectivity.
“In the absence of broad agreement on mandatory black carbon measures to be developed and adopted by the IMO, countries must now step forward to shoulder the responsibilities to reduce the impact of black carbon on the Arctic,” said Sian Prior, lead advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition of 20 international non-profit organisations.
The IMO meeting did agree to focus on developing guidelines to outline measures that could reduce black carbon emissions over the next 12 months.
But Prior dismissed the move as a “dereliction of duty” and said the alliance has little confidence that such guidelines will have the necessary effect.
Last week’s meeting also delayed until 2025 consideration of amending the definition of heavy fuel oil to ban its carriage in the region in an attempt to prevent oil spills.
The alliance is seeking the designation of emission control areas (ECAs), the adoption of speed reduction measures and the introduction of domestic bans on the use of residual fuels or fuel blends in Arctic waters.
It also wants mandatory proposals such as the development of a polar fuel standard requiring the use of lighter, cleaner, low-carbon fuel to be brought forward at the IMO.
It welcomed Canada’s intention to submit a proposal to the IMO’s upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting for an ECA in Canadian waters.
